You may be wondering why your weight loss plan isn’t working even though you’ve made salads a mainstay in your diet. Certain kinds of saboteurs are easy to recognize. Loads of meats and cheeses, too many dried fruits or candied nuts, salads laden with sour cream or creamy, rich dressings can obviously derail weight loss. But what if you’re watching what goes into your salad, using “light,” “low-fat” or “fat- free” dressings and the weight still won’t come off? It’s the kind of fat in your salad dressing that matters.
Many commercial salad dressings are made with processed oils that sabotage your healthy intentions in many ways. In fact, many of these oils are actually rancid fats. Manufacturers use high heat and high pressure to create processed and refined oils. This denatures fat molecules in ways that destroy their nutrient value and leads to chronic inflammation in the body. The myriad of chemicals and preservatives found in many bottled dressings are used to camouflage the flavor and smell of these hydrogenated fats and trans fats which have been linked to countless health conditions.
You Want Healthy Fats in Your Salad
Have you been going with a squirt of lemon juice and skipping the oils altogether? Avoiding meats, cheeses and nuts? Using low-fat or fat-free dressings? These aren’t good ideas either.
Your body can’t absorb and utilize many vitamins and nutrients found in plant foods without a fat accompaniment. As traditional foodist, Dr. Cate Shanahan explains on Dr. Cate.com, vitamins A, E and K are fat-soluble vitamins: they only dissolve in the presence of fat. Essential nutrients choline, lecithin and phospholipids are also fat-soluble.
We can’t make use of vitamin A directly. Our bodies utilize it through carotenoids, the compounds that give carrots and red bell peppers their orange-red color and kale and spinach their vibrant green. A 2012 Purdue University study has found that monounsaturated fats, such as those found in cold-pressed olive oil and nuts are most effective at helping our bodies to absorb carotenoids. Saturated fats also contribute to carotenoid absorption while polyunsaturated fats are the least effective. Most vegetable oils in bottled dressings are polyunsaturated fats.
Healthy Choices
Saturated fats are not to be feared. The Mediterranean Diet, for instance, is made up of about 70 percent saturated fats. Don’t be afraid to add raw cheese, nuts and other proteins to your salad but do so in moderation. Stay away from dried fruit because it’s concentrated in terms of sugar. Avocados and olives can also add healthy fats and flavors to your salads. Use cold-pressed and minimally refined olive oil, grapeseed oil or nut oils to dress your salad.
Avoid using low-fat dressings, and take your dressing on the side if you’re eating out. Then, rather than pouring it over your salad, try dipping the tines of your fork in the dressing before each bite.
Your best bet is to make your own dressing. It’s simple, healthy and fun. Try different oils and types of vinegar, different spices and blends to discover new favorites. Missing creamy dressings? Use avocado, tahini or amasai for your base.
Sample the many types of vinegar on the market today to vary your flavors. Various types of vinegar can help reduce carbohydrate absorption, improving your blood sugar levels and helping you to feel more full and satisfied. Citric fruits can also add unique flavors to your salads.
Lessons Learned:
- Don’t forget the good fat. You need it to digest nutrients in your salad.
- Don’t use “low-fat” or “fat-free” dressings as they’re laden with sodium, sugars and preservatives.
- Read labels on store-bought salad dressings. •Dress your salad with your own healthy creations.
- When dining out, ask for your dressing on the side.
Eating more salad, particularly if it’s replacing less healthy foods, is awesome! Just don’t sabotage it. The more you know…
Dr. Sarah Ernst, D.C. is the founder of Prosperity Health. She is a cellular detoxification coach and chiropractor. She has obtained countless hours of training in cellular detoxification, functional endocrinology, and female hormone issues.